The following comment I posted in response to someone suggesting, no matter how rational we think we are, we are still “stupid”.

I also note that there is a strange suggestion that, no matter how much you try to become rational, you’ll always be “stupid”. Image if the notion of being fit was treated the same way.

“Yeah, you’ve spent years working off the fat, and you can run a marathon every week, but you’re still weak. And suggesting you are in shape is encouraging a ‘fitness cult’. Who are you to say you are in shape?”

Those who have spent years honing their rationality can rightfully say they are more rational than others in the same way athlete can say they are in better shape than others without suggesting that makes them more valuable or superior in other ways.

If you have made an honest assessment that you have made much rational improvement, don’t resort to calls to self-deprecate and call yourself ‘stupid’. There are cognitive limits just as there are physical limits, but the fact that you can’t run 100km does not mean you are unfit any more than making fewer mistakes in rationality than the bulk of the population makes you ‘stupid’.

Be proud of your physical and rational successes. Use those successes to encourage others to get into physical and rational shape.

[A playful analysis of the lupine playground of Tokyo, originally posted on Facebook.]

Lupus Cumulare: (The Accumulator)
This breed of wolf is, by far, the most commonly seen after sunset. It hunts only to accumulate. Quality is barely a consideration. Wolves of this breed pride themselves on their insatiability, and view female wolves as objects to be beguiled and broken. They lack the personal depth and maturity to establish a stable relationship. They often hunt in packs, and seldom without the courage/incapacitator of alcohol. Mendacity is an ever-present tactic, and the same disingenuous compliments/promises may be used on several females within a single hour.

Lupus Dominor: (The Dominator)
While Lupus Cumulare views females as the opposition to be vanquished, the breed Lupus Dominor considers other males the enemy. They may intentionally attempt to disrupt an affectionate and devoted wolf couple just to see whether they can. If they can, they consider this some type of victory over the abandoned male wolf. They view female wolves as weak creatures whose allegiance and affection can be simply commanded, and are therefore usually found with the correspondingly insecure and gullible females.

Lupus Edico: (The Declarer)
This breed of wolf will attempt to define the hunting grounds in his favor by making loud declarations that he has deep feelings for this female or that, supposing that other males would be in violation of some legitimate injunction were they to pursue a female he has “called dibs” on. He will often theatrically claim to have “genuine” feelings for over a dozen females. As with Lupus Cumulare, he will only rarely forge an truly committed relationship due to his insecurities.

Lupus Timere: (The Fearful)
This very common breed views females with unwarranted fear. They start with the expectation of rejection, behave consistent with this expectation, and are thus usually rejected. They bear deeply entrenched feelings of inferiority, and will never experience a healthy relationship unless they build a character and personality of substance.

Lupus Infidelis: (The Cheater)
This breed is the most mendacious of all the wolf breeds. Through deception and false promises, this breed manipulates both the female back in the den, as well as the young females in the wild. Though some unattached females, who are themselves disinclined to commit, find this breed “safe”, the results of any prolonged liaison are unsatisfying at best, and disastrous at worst.

Lupus Sentire: (The Sentimental)
While having no disposition to lie, this breed will confess his love to one female after another, always sincerely, but never realizing the inherent brevity of his infatuations. While never engaged in concurrent trysts, this breed will alleviate each heartbreak with a subsequent new romantic focus he is convinced is “real this time”. This breed is vulnerable to older females who can manipulate his affection into a tolerable dependency.

Lupus Opes: (The Opulent)
Wealth is the hook for this breed of wolf. Having little substance of personality, he will refer available females to his vast financial reserves as a substitute. This often works. However, the degree of substance of the female thus enamored is usually similar to his own. A mutation within this breed occasionally yields a male who will hide his wealth until he is certain the affection of a desirable female is genuine.

Lupus Liberum: (The Independent)
This rare breed is content with one quality female…for a while. He has genuine confidence, and does not consider the other wolves to be rivals. If he encounters a deserving young lonely male, he will often provide that younger wolf with encounters with correspondingly quality females. While often perceived to be boring, he is very warm and accommodating, to the point of being paternal. While highly enjoying intimacy with a quality female from time to time, he seldom commits to anything long-term, and often wanders away from the pack to philosophize and write allegorical Facebook posts.

Lupus Matrimonium: (The Marriageable)
The rarest breed of wolf in Tokyo is the Lupus Matrimonium. Often young and idealistic, this breed possesses grandiose expectants of finding a soul-mate that the far more cynical Lupus Liberum chuckles at, though with fond memories. The genome of this breed is stable for only a few years, but then often mutates into one of the other breeds. This is often due to the female mutating into the breed Lupa Asexualis which unexpectedly and inexplicably denies sex to the male.

(Note: No actual wolves were harmed in the writing of this article. All wolves described in this work are merely archetypes. Any resemblance to real wolves, living or dead, is purely coincidental.)